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Glitches in traffic ticket amnesty system

SINCE the announcement by Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) that motorists will be granted an amnesty if they pay up all outstanding tickets issued up to December last year to avoid arrest, the TAJ hotlines have been ringing off the hook.

But while TAJ said the response from the public has been overwhelming, several glitches are coming to the fore.

Chief among them are complaints from motorists that their names have been listed as owing for traffic tickets that they paid off years ago, or which were thrown out by the Traffic Court.

A check by the Jamaica Observer with at least a dozen motorists who randomly went online to check their statuses found that all had similar complaints.

One motorist complained that his name had been listed as owing for two speeding tickets amounting to $500, but there was no date when the tickets were issued.

Others had tickets listed for offences that were dealt with in the courts.

The TAJ said efforts were being made to correct the glitches and assured motorists that if they had paid for their tickets they have nothing to fear.

"If you've paid your traffic ticket but still see your name on the list, don't worry. The list will be updated and your name removed," the ministry said in a message posted on the social networking site Facebook.

Meanwhile, Head of the Traffic Division, Senior Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis, said he has launched an investigation into the reports of the glitches.

"We have heard of the reports that some motorists are raising concerns that the system is showing their licence numbers as people with outstanding tickets although they paid their fines," said Lewis.

"The Ministry of National Security has taken every possible precaution to ensure that your traffic ticket information is represented accurately, affording you the convenience and ease of interacting with our system. However, please be advised that there may be isolated instances of discrepancies," another Facebook post from the ministry stated.

The ministry listed the following hotlines which motorists can call for assistance: